October 20, 2010

We are frightful enablers here on So Loverly: our reviews not only inspire lemmings in others but amongst ourselves. I have lost count of the numbers of times I have read a review by Kahani or Syen and thought, I want to try that.

Unfortunately, not all products recommended by Kahani and Syen work for me and vice versa due to our different skin needs. Kahani has mad oily skin, Syen's skin combo-oily while mine is oily-dry. The cleanser which broke Syen out works great for me but I won't touch Kahani's HG acne treatment with a 10 feet pole. Clinique's DDM gel works for Kahani and Syen but not for me.

There was that one product which all of us agreed on disliking albeit for different reasons; Syen hated the scent, Kahani got breakouts while it gave me rashes AND made me sneeze.

Here's my take on some previously reviewed products:ZA 2-way foundation powder
It took me several tries to get this one right but the shades which suits me on most days is #23 and #24. Great stuff, especially for travelling, but with some drawbacks: (1) it sometimes makes my skin look dry, old and lined, (2) it can come off as quite cakey when applied with a sponge and (3) it doesn’t perform very well in the oil control department.

The last bit might be due to my weird skin though as most oil control products tend to make me oilier – weird but true.

The Aspirin Mask
A great favourite amongst the acne-prone community, I used this for a year and loved it. My skin was smooth and clear. My pores were finer. Unfortunately, the crushed aspirin was irritating my nasal passageway so badly, I started having nosebleeds each time I used this mask.

Cellnique Pro-Sebum Gel
I received this from Cellnique to review and had such high hopes for it seeing how well it worked for everyone. Even my best friend swears by this stuff. Sadly, this dried my skin and broke me out quite badly, it took my face ages to recover. I was hoping that it was the result of a “purging effect” or another product but the minute I tried it out again, the same thing happened.

H2O+ Face Oasis Gel
When I found out that this worked well for Kahani’s oily skin and Connie’s dry skin, I swooned. Could this be the saviour of my oily-dry skin?

I got it, used it and ending up sitting on the fence for the longest time. It did what it was supposed to but otherwise, I wasn’t impressed. Then, I brought it with me travelling on a whim.
Several applications later, I stepped off the plane with glowy, bouncy skin. Fantastic stuff for travel, this is. I might have to revise my earlier opinions about H2O+ Face Oasis. The cool, jelly-like texture makes it a joy to use on hot days and you need so little, it’s alarmingly easy to go overboard.

Verdict: Worth the hype and worth a go if you have the moolah to spare.

MUFE Super-Mat Loose Powder in No. 12
Remember what I said earlier about oil-control products making me oilier? That is exactly what happened with this product. It soaked up the oil so well, my skin went into overdrive trying to compensate for the drop in oil levels. Once the powder hit saturation point, the $hit hit the fan and all hell broke loose after that.

6 comments:

I like the variety of skin types that are on here! Not everything will work for everyone and it can't be helped. Hehe. Your skin probably thinks that its dry and produces more oil to moisturize the dry surface.

We just need someone with dry skin and we would have all bases covered. =D

Your skin diagnosis is spot on! My skin is oily because it's dry. It was easy to handle in dry Australia because all I had to do was slap on moisturiser. I am still trying to find the right products in humid Malaysia and so far, no success. I have found my ideal day moisturiser but it costs a whopping RM700+.

How great it is that you girls can review anything under the sun? Love it! :P

Cellnique's Pro Sebum Gel works wonders for me, and have done so for what, 4 years? Although I am reducing the amount I'm using now, compared to what I used when I was in my twenties (OMG how old does that make me sound?!).

The H2O Face Oasis Gel just didn't work me as it did for you girls. It just sat on my face mocking me whilst I willed it to sink in. Oh well.

Generally, what works for Syen works for me. I live for Syen's recommendations.

Hada Labo cleanser bad though. I broke out like a cat gone bonkers after using it twice, and it took two weeks to clear. Couldn't apply anything, no moisturiser, no sunscreen to the affected parts as everything aggravated pus.

About Us

Two best friends, Kahani & Syen, united in their passion for makeup, embark on a mission to share on all things loverly that make you pretty. Also contributing is Eli, who is currently based in Sydney. Syen is based in Malaysia and Kahani has moved herself to Hong Kong.